Roadside trencher



Dec. l20, 1938. w4 G. VAN vooRl-us ROADS IDE TRENCHER 3 Shee 11s-Sheet l Filed Oct. 18, 1937 /V/Y//mV Van Voor/vis Dec. 20, 1938. W, G, VAN VQORH|S 2,140,823

ROADSIDE TRENCHER Filed Oct. 18, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec- 20, 1938- w. G. VAN vooRHls 2,140,823

ROADS IDE TRENCHER Filed Oct. 18, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jn/vendo@ Patented Dec. 20, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROADSIDE TRENCHER Application October 18, 1937, Serial No. 169,593 14 Cl. v(Cl. 37-97) This invention relates to trenching excavating machines, and particularly to such a machine adapted for use in digging a shallow trench in a road shoulder immediately adjacent a side edge of a road pavement to receive a pavement widening strip.

An object of the invention is the provision of a simple trench excavating means of the character described, and preferably of the wheel type,

i@ for attachment to an automobile truck chassis in driven connection with its power means and for operating on a road shoulder at one edge of the pavement to cut a trench therein while the tractor is traveling on the adjoining half of the gg pavement without interfering with trame in the other line of travel.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a trench attachment of this character which may be positioned at a side of the truck go when being used to excavate a trench, may be vertically adjusted while in such position, and may also be adjusted to place it in inoperative position at the rear of the truck when. traveling from place to place, the attachment, when in such latter position, being substantially the width of the truck so as not to interfere with traic on the other half of the pavement.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, and from the accompanying drawings, illustrating one embodiment of the invention, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying the invention with the excavating attachment in operative position at a side of the truck, and with parts broken away; Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof with the excavating attachment lowered in trench digging position and with the excavating Wheel and other parts removed; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine taken at the outer side .of the attachment, with the attachment lowered in excavating position and with parts of the attachment and associated truck broken away; Fig. 4 is a rear end plan view of the machine with the attachment in inoperative position at the rear of the truck frame, and with parts broken away; Fig. 5 is an enlarged outer side elevation of the crumber attachment; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view thereof; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of the inner edge shoe of the attachment and its crumb deector, and Fig. 8 is an enlarged section on the line 8-8 in Fig. 2. Referring to the drawings, A designates a motor truck and B the chassis frame thereof supported at front by the customary steering wheels i and at rear by the tractor wheels 2. The attachment embodying the invention comprises a supplemental frame structure C mounted on the rear end portion of the chassis frame, and the excavator means D, which is carried by the frame C for vertical adjustment relative thereto and adapted to be placed in operative excavating position at a side of the frame or in inoperative position at the rear thereof, as .will hereinafter more fully appear.

The supplemental frame C is of rectangular form including lengthwise stringers 5, 5, which lie over and are xedly mounted on the lengthwise stringers 3 of the chassis frame, and the front and rear cross members 6, l, xed to the stringers 5. The cross members 6, l, are extended beyond the left hand Stringer 5 and each has a respective post t, 9, rigidly rising from its outer extended end and braced transversely of the machine by respective diagonal brace bars Ill, i l, the former of which, in the present instance, connects at its lower end to the opposite front corner of the frame C, while the latter connects, in the present instance, to an extension l2, which is attached to the frame C and overhangs the wheels 2 at the right side of the truck. The posts 8, t, are braced forward and backward 'by diagonal brace rods I3 shown in Figs. 2 and 3. it is a forward brace for the rear brace bar l l.

The excavating means D, when in inoperative trench excavating position, is carried by and disposed at the left side of the supplemental frame C and includes a. rectangular frame 20 having hanger bars 2l and '22 attached to and rising from its inner side edge and in lateral register, respectively, with the posts 8 and 9 of the frame C. The bars 2| and 22 have upper and lower slides 23 projecting therefrom and in sliding engagement with the respective posts 3, 9, to retain theA frame 20 in operative relation to said posts and permit its vvertical adjustment relative thereto. The outer side of the frame 20 is supported by front and rear diagonal rods 24 and 25 which respectively connect the outer front and rear corner portions of the frame'to the upper slide members 23 on the posts 8 and 9. A suspension rod 26 (Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4) connects the forward inner corner of the frame 20 to the upper end portion of the hanger bar 22.

The frame 20 is adjustably suspended by a pair of hoist cables 30 and 3i anchored at one end to the upper ends of the respective posts 8 and 9, as at 32, thence extending down under respective sheaves 33 attached to the upper ends of the hanger bars 2l and 22, thence upwardly tid over sheaves 34 at the upper ends of the respective posts 8 and 9, and thence down to and winding on drums 35 on a hoist shaft 38. The hoist cables intermediate the sheaves 34 and drums 35 are guided by suitable sheaves attached to parts of the supplemental frame C. The hoist shaft 36 is in controlled connection with the power unit of the truck A, as hereinafter described.

An excavating wheel E is mounted in and carried by the frame D and is of the general type and mounting of wheels of this character, and is of a width corresponding to the width of the pavement extension trench which it is desired to dig. This wheel, in the present instance, comprises two laterally spaced annular rim members 40 connected in equidistantly spaced relation around their peripheries by excavating buckets 4I having rooter teeth 42 at their forward edges. Each rim member 40 is guided for rotary movements by a set of guide rollers 43, one of which is mounted on a drive shaft 44 extending through the wheel at the inner edges of the rims, and has drive teeth for engagement with an annular series of teeth 45 on the rim. 'I'he guide sheaves 43 are mounted in a suitable frame work carried by the frame 20, as well understood in the art. The shaft 44 at its inner end (Fig. 1) carries a sprocket wheel 46 in connection through a sprocket chain 61 with a sprocket wheel 48 on the adjacent end of an excavating-wheel drive shaft 49 mounted in the rear end portion of the supplemental frame C. This shaft receives its power from the power unit of the truck through suitable controlled means hereinafter described. The outer end of the shaft 44 is in bevel geardriving connection with the drive shaft 50 of a side delivery belt 5I for the diggings. This belt is suitably mounted within the excavator wheel in position to receive the discharge from the buckets 4I when in the upper arc of their movement, as well understood in the art.

A crumber blade is suspended from the frame 20 in close relation to the periphery 'of the excavating wheel E, being curved in conformance therewith, and is adapted to gather the crumbs or loose material left in the trench by the wheel and to accumulate it in a position to be received by the buckets in a subsequent revolution thereof, as well understood in the art. The frame work 56 supporting the crumber blade is provided at its bottom with shoes 51 which travel on the bottom of the trench. 'I'he outer side of the frame work 56 is partially covered by sheet material 58 and to the outer side of this is attached a deflector blade 59 which extends out over the outer edge shoulder of the trench and forces outwardly away from the trench any loose material on the shoulder which might otherwise fall into the trench.

The posts 8 and 9 of the frame C are extended a distance below such frame and at their lower ends carry brackets or parts 65 having fiat outer side faces to which the end parts 66 of a guard shoe 61 are attached. 'I'his shoe is intended to ride on the pavement in slightly spaced relation to the edge of the pavement at which the trench is being dug and serves to prevent any loose diggings from the trench from passing any considerable distance over onto the pavement. In order to allow for unevenness in the pavement, the shoe 61 is preferably mounted for limited free vertical reciprocatory movement on the brackets 65, this being permitted by reason of shoe retaining pins 68 on the bracket passing through vertical slots in the shoe parts 68. Any dizaines which fall on the pavement at the excavating wheel side of the shoe 51 are scraped back into the trench in advance of the crumber face 55 by a. deector plate10 attached to such side of the shoe. This plate, as best shown in Fig. 7, is pivoted to the inner side of the shoe and has an arm 1| projecting from its inner end through the shoe 81 and connected by a rod 'I2 rearwardly to the outer side of the shoe through the medium of a thrust spring 13 which permits a yielding inward movement of the deflector plate 10 should' a rigid obstruction be encountered, such, for instance, as an upwardly projecting brick in the pavement.

'I'hei excavator means D, when not in use, is adapted to be swung about the guide post 9, as a pivot, to a position at the rear of and lined up lengthwise with the truck frame, thus reducing the width of the machine'when traveling from place to place. To permit of such swinging action, the forward end of the excavator frame 20 is disconnected from the lower end of the front hanger bar 2|, such disconnection being easily and quickly effected by a removal of a connecting bolt 80 (Fig. l) and the disconnecting of the diagonal rod 24. Prior to a. swinging of the frame 20 to inoperative position, it is hoisted sufficiently for the rear end of the frame, which when swung becomes the forward end, to rest on a support 85 rising from the rear end of the supplemental frame C (see Fig. 2). When the excavator frame is in its rearwardly swung position, its rearwardly disposed end is supported at the side thereof with the post 9 by the inclined hanger rod 26, and the other side of the frame is supported at its rear end by a rearwardly and downwardly extending hanger rod 86 which connects at its rear end to a bracket 81 on the frame 20 and at its forward end to the upper end of an upright 88.

The extension frame I2, which is provided at the opposite side of the supplemental frame C to the excavating attachment D, supports a weight 90 to serve as a counterbalance for the weight of said excavator attachment. This weight is of elongated form and is mounted on a pair of longitudinally spaced transversely extending bars 9| in the frame I2 which serve as a support along which the weight may be shifted transversely of the machine to vary the counterbalancing action as the load of the attachment may require.

In the present instance, the power for driving the truck and also for driving the hoist shaft 36 and the excavator shaft 49 is derived from the usual truck motor disposed under the hood |00. The drive from such motor is through the usual variable change speed gearing contained in the case |0I, thence through a shaft |02 to a midship transmission means contained in the case |03 and from which power may be taken oil at suitable speeds through a propeller shaft |04 and a second shaft |05. 'I'he shaft I 04 is connected to the tractor wheels 2, as well understood in the art. The transmission mechanism |03 preferably employed is that shown in United States Patent No. 2,084,887, dated June 22, 1937-. The shaft I 05 has control connection through a clutch I 06 with a shaft section |01 which is in bevel gear connection, as at |08, to the excavator drive shaft 49. The shaft |05 also has forward and reverse driving connection with a countershaft |09 which has geared connection within a case I I0 to the hoist shaft 36. The shaft section |05 has a loose gear II| in connection with the shaft |09 through a gear I |2 and also has a loose sprocket wheel H3 in connection with a companion sprocket wheel lll on the shaft |09 through a connecting sprocket chain. The pinion I and the sprocket wheel H3 each has driven connection with the shaft |05 through an associated clutch, and between these clutches is disposed a manually controlled shipper member H5 which is movable to engage one or the other of the clutches, as it may be desired to drive the hoist shaft 36 in one direction or the other.

It is apparent from the foregoing that when the machine is being transferred from place to place, it is operated in the usual manner of a motortruck, and the excavator means D may either be elevated to inoperative position at the side of the truck or it may be elevated and swung around to the back of the truck, thus reducing the width of the machine for road travel. The elevation of the excavating means D is controlled through a manipulation of the clutch shipper member I I5 which throws one or the other of the elements I, H3, into engagement with the driven shaft |05 and effects a consequent forward or reverse driving of the shaft |09 and the hoist shaft 36 with which it is connected and on which latter the hoist drums for the hoist cables 30 and 3| are mounted. When the excavating means is in digging position at a side of the truck, it is connected at the front and rear corner portions of its inner side to the respective hanger bars 2| and 22, and also has its outer corner portions connected to the upper ends of these bars by the respective rods 24 and 25. The inner front corner of the frame 20 is also connected to the upper end of the rear hanger bar 22 by the rod 26. Preparatory to swinging the excavator means to inoperative position at the rear of the machine, the frame 20 is disconnected from the lower end of the front hanger bar 2| and also from the hanger rod 24, and when the frame is in rearwardly swung position, and raised sufficiently for its then inner or forward end to rest on the support 85, its rear free end is supported at one side by the rod 2S and at the other side by the rod 86, which latter is attached to the post 88 on the frame C.

When the excavator frame 20 is in trench digging position, it is lowered relative to the truck to substantially the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and the truck is disposed at the edge portion of the pavement adjacent to the widening trench. The excavating wheel E is driven by throwing the clutch |05 into engagement and it acts to excavate a trench of the desired width for pavement widening purposes and to deliver the excavated material-to the side delivery apron 5| by which it is delivered to the road shoulder at the outer side of the trench. The trench is cleaned at the rear of the Wheel by the crumber 55. The guard shoe 61 rides loosely on the pavement in slightly spaced relation to its edge, and the deflector plate 10 thereon yieldingly acts to scrape into the trench any material that has been left on the pavement at the trench side of said shoe. The outer shoulder of the trench is kept clean of the excavated material by the scraper blade 59.

It is evident that I have provided a roadside trench excavating means adapted to be mounted on a truck chassis and to excavate a shallow trench at a side edge of the road pavement parallel to the path of travel of the truck on the pavement; that the excavating means cleans the trench as the excavating progresses and is connected to and driven by the power plant of the truck; that the excavating means is capable of raising and lowering movements to vary the depth of digging or to place it into or out of operative digging position, the raising and lowering means being preferably connected to and driven from the power source of the truck, and that the excavating means, when not in use and to suit the truck for road traveling, is adapted to be swung into traveling position at the rear of the truck and firmly supported thereby.

I Wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specic construction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is capable of numerous modifications and changes without departing from the spirit of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is:

1. In a roadside trencher, a motor truck, an excavator frame disposed at a side of said truck, an excavating wheel carried by said frame, means carried by the truck for guiding said frame for vertical movements relative thereto and. also for swinging movements to enable the frame to be placed either at a side or at the rear of the truck and with the wheel axis transverse to the truck in both said positions, means for vertically adjusting said frame, and means carried by the truck and operable to drive the excavator wheel when said frame is in operable position at a side of the truck.

2.- In a roadside trencher, a truck including a power unit for driving the truck, an excavator means carried by the truck for both vertical adjusting movements and for swinging movements to adapt it to be placed in operative trenching position at a side of the truck or in elevated inoperative position at the rear of the truck and in both positions to have its wheel axis transverse to the truck, and mechanism driven by said power unit and selectively operable to raise or lower the excavator means and also to drive the excavator wheel.

3. In a roadside trencher, a truck, a supplemental frame mounted on the truck chassis and having vertical guide means at one side of the truck, an excavator means carried by said frame and guided by said guide means for vertical adjusting movements and also for swinging movements to place it in operative position at a side of the frame or in inoperative position at the rear of the frame, and means operable to raise and lower the excavator means on said guide means and to support the excavator means during its swinging adjustment.

4. In a roadside trencher, a truck, a supplemental frame mounted on the truck chassis and forming an extension at one side of the truck, said extension having vertical guide means, a wheel type excavator means carried by said supplemental frame and guided for vertical adjustment by said guide means and also thereby for swinging adjustment to place it in operative position at a side of the frame or in inoperative position at the rear of the frame, hoist means operable to raise or lower the excavator means, and means carried by the truck and operable to drive the excavator wheel.

5. In a machine of the class described, a truck,

a supplemental frame mounted on the truck4 chassis and having an extension at both sides of the chassis with guide posts rising from one extension, counterbalance means adjustably car-- ried by the other extension, excavator means connected to and guided for vertical movements by said posts, said means being releasable from one post and swingable about the other post as a guide from operative position at aside oi' the truck to inoperative position at the rear thereof. and means operable to suspend the excavator means from said frame and to raise or lower it relative thereto.

6. In a machine of the class described, a truck,

a supplemental frame mounted on the truck and having an extension at one side thereof, vertical guide means carried by said extension, an excavator frame engaged to said guide means for vertical movements relative thereto and for horizontal swinging movements to adapt the frame to be placed in operative digging position at a side of the supplemental frame or in inoperative position at the rear thereof, rotary excavating means carried by the excavator frame, means operable as a hoist and support i'or said excavator frame, and means operable to `drive said rotary means when the excavator frame is in operative position at a side of the truck.

7. In a machine oi the class described, a tractor, a frame mounted on said tractor and having vertical guide means at one side thereof, and excavator means attached to said frame and guid- .ed for vertical movements by said guide means,

`on the inner edge shoulder of a side trench,

trench excavating means disposed at the outer side of said extension and connected to said guide means for vertical adjustment relativethereto,

said excavator means being operable to excavate a trench at a side of and in parallel relation to the path of travel of the truck, and means operable tn raise or lower the excavator means on said guide means.

9. In a machine of the class described, a tractor, a supplemental frame on said tractor providing an extension at one side thereof, vertical guide means carried by and extending above and below said extension, aguard shoe connected to the lower end of said guide means for traveling on the inner edge shoulder ofy a side trench, a defiector blade yieldingly projecting from the trench side of said guard-shoe, trench excavator means disposed at the outer side of said extension and connected to said guide means for ver-` tical adjustment relative thereto, said-excavator means being operable to'excavatea` trench at a sidev of and in parallel relation to the path of travel oi the truck, and means operable to raise or lower the excavator means on said guide means.

10. In amachine ofthe classdescribed, a tractor, a trame carried by said tractor and providing an extensionat one side thereof, vertical guide means carried by said extension at its outer side, excavator means of the wheel type connected to and guided for vertical movements by said guide means and also for swinging movements to permit the excavator means to be disposed in inoperative position at the rear of said frame or to be horizontally swung to operative position at a side of the frame to dig a trench at the side'of the parallel to the path oi.' travel of the tractor,

a hoist means for said excavator means and aI drive means for the excavator wheel, said hoist means and said drive means having controlled connection with and driven by the power plant oi the tractor.

11. In a machine of the class described, a tractor, a frame mounted on said tractor and having vertical guide means at one side thereof, and

excavator means attached to said frame andv guided for vertical movements by said guide means and for horizontal swinging movements to adapt it to be moved from the side of the frame to inoperative position at the rear thereof, said excavator means including a trenching wheel, a crumber and a deilector blade for traveling over the vouter shoulder of a trench excavated by the wheel, hoist meansfor the excavator means, and means on the tractor for driving said tractor wheel.

12. In a roadside trencher, a truck, excavating means carried by the truck for excavating a trench at one side of-and parallel to the path of travel of the truck and closely adjacent thereto, said means being mounted for swinging movements from a side of the truck to the rear thereof and to receive substantially a half turn 'during such movement.

13. In a roadside trencher, a truck, a guide means at a rear corner portion of the truck, excavating means carried by the truck for excavating a trench at one side of and parallel to its path of travel, said means being guided for swinging movements by said guide means to permit the excavating means to be swung from a position at the side f the truck to a trailing position at the rear thereof, and means for driving said excavating means.

14. In a roadside trencher, a truck, guide means carried by said truck at one side thereof and adjacent to its rear end, excavating means carried by the truck for trenching operations at one side thereof and guided by said guide means for vertical adjusting movements and for swinging movements about a rearwardly disposed portion of said guide means. whereby the excavating means may be positioned either at a side of the machine or at the ,rearl thereof intermediate. its sides.

WILLIAM G. VAN VOORHIS. 

